


melancholy of the dragon

by catsandanimenerd



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V
Genre: Canon Divergence, Dragons, F/M, Soulmates, Speculation, Vomiting, and play with a loosely defined and understood canon, i just use tags to complain mostly, i just want Zarc to be a good dude that fell into bad things, let me live, probably, sorry this is bad, uuugggg i dont know how to write obviously
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-29
Updated: 2016-10-29
Packaged: 2018-08-27 19:32:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,863
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8413873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/catsandanimenerd/pseuds/catsandanimenerd
Summary: there was once a myth that cards had soulsOR: Dragons are loyal creatures that would tear apart even the fabric of time and space for the one who would earn its loyalty





	

The first card his father ever gives him is glossy and pristine, the lettering at the top shimmering in false gold. Zarc traces the characters with rapture, his fingers careful not to mar their surface.

“Treat it as you would a dear friend, son. They say that cards have souls,” his father says to him, patting his hair gently. Zarc gasps and cradles the card in his palm, eyes bright as they trace the visage of a mighty dragon with mismatched eyes. 

“Of course, father,” he murmurs absent-mindedly. His father chuckles and picks the young child up, settling him into his lap.

“Would you like to make more friends Zarc?” Zarc perks up at that, wriggling in his father’s lap, his grip tightening on the first card. “Alright, calm yourself son.” His father pulls a deck of cards out of thin air, handing them to Zarc as if they were a precious bundle.

(And they are, but neither of them know this, yet. Zarc will find out soon that there are trickles of truth to every legend.)

* * *

The first time Zarc summons  _ Odd-Eyes _ onto the field there is a rush of accomplishment, of warmth, that leaves him staggering breathlessly and dazed for a moment. Odd-Eyes roars in triumph, a happy croon that echoes in Zarc’s ears.

**_He’s summoned me! He’s summoned me!_ ** Odd-Eyes cries happily, its spirit dancing in pure joy at being called upon by his most trusted friend. Zarc’s grin sneaks up onto him as his favorite card, his _ Ace _ monster, radiates pure adrenaline and an eagerness that he hasn’t observed thus far. 

(Odd-Eyes is  _ delighted _ to fight for Zarc, who can hear his voice and calls his name with love in his heart.)

“The fun has just begun!” Zarc states as he slides a Magic card into the slot, activating its effect. Odd-Eyes throws its’ head back once more and its’ roar is like a trumpet sounding before the battle. 

(They don’t notice their audience, too enraptured in warmth and love and happiness to care.)   


(Perhaps, if Zarc had ignored them, then his fate may have been different.)

* * *

Zarc, Odd-Eyes reflects, is like a shooting star. He streaks across the sky with such beauty and brilliance that everyone is enamoured by him. They cannot touch him when he flies through the sky, can only scream his name as he dances to a rhythm they can only dream about alongside his monster friends.

(But like all shooting stars, Zarc eventually must fall and crash into the Earth.)

Zarc collides with his Earth in small moments that last a lifetime. They occur when he draws the wrong card, makes the wrong move, when he says the wrong things, when he witnesses his dear monster friends struggle and hurt and fall in battle. He strikes hard and fast, the waves of impact with his Earth hurling him into an endless spiral.

(But Odd-Eyes does not care for his crashes or waltz through the sky. It only cares for Zarc, for making him happy and helping him captivate his growing audience. It nudges him, little by little, back up into the sky above, until his next fall.)

(Dragons, after all, are loyal to a fault and Odd-Eyes is no exception.)

* * *

Starve Venom is tattered and  _ used _ , but not  _ worn _ and loved like Odd-Eyes is becoming. It is a vicious, bitter soul that has passed through many hands before settling with Zarc. It has seen far more battles than any other card in Zarc’s deck, and has not known the tender touch of a human that can hear and care for it.

It hates Zarc with such an intensity that the boy slams into his Earth the moment his fingers grasp the torn edges, a deeply unsettled feeling sitting in his gut like bad food. Zarc shudders but tugs the card closer despite the anger and hatred and runs his fingers over it just as reverently as he once did to Odd Eyes.

“I’m sorry Starve Venom. I won’t use you unless you want me to. Please release your anger someday,” he whispers to the fading letters, rolling his thumb pad over the card as gently as he can. 

(Starve Venom doesn’t allow any hope to blossom in its dead, beating heart. The brat will go back on his promise, just like all the other humans that had once owned its card.)

* * *

(Zarc is desperately cornered and his hands are shaking so hard that Starve Venom can feel the tremors from the Extra Deck, and he has already fallen so far into the depths of the ocean of his Earth that the crowd around him ceases to exist. The dragon shuffles uneasily as it wonders why the boy does not simply call it out. Odd Eyes has already been defeated, screaming and thrashing from the Graveyard, and Starve Venom  _ knows _ that Zarc has the necessary materials to summon it to the field.

**_He won’t summon you if you don’t want it! He never goes back on his word!_ ** Odd Eyes’ voice, distant and dream-like, echoes in Starve Venom’s head. There’s a loud crack in its chest and Starve Venom raises its head high and finally,  _ finally  _ relents.

_ Summon me to the field Zarc! _ It screeches as loudly as possible, startling the poor teen. Zarc jumps into awareness and flops for a moment, incredulous. 

“Really, Starve Venom?” he asks quietly. Starve Venom huffs and rustles the boy’s hair, a sneer of sorts on its face. 

_ Hurry, before I change my mind _ it grumbles irritably. Zarc grins in excitement and raises his arms high above his head, bowing with a flourish.

“Sorry to keep you waiting folks. The fun has just begun!” he announces before slapping Polymerization onto his duel disk. The crowd roars as Zarc explains the card’s usage before sacrificing the materials needed, Starve Venom’s card slipping out of the deck and onto the duel disk. There’s a brilliant light and then,  _ then _ Starve Venom materializes onto the field in a fantastic shimmer that dazzles the audience. 

Zarc makes eye contact with it and it throws its head back and  **_bellows_ ** out a victory screech like none it has ever released before.)

* * *

Zarc’s reputation is steadily gaining traction when he picks up Clear Wing Synchro Dragon. Its’ previous owner is strange, handing over the card to him with clear reluctance and a tired but knowing smile.

“The dragons are calling for you,” they say in a small, worn voice. “I can only pray that they will guide you down the right path.” 

(Clear Wing doesn’t talk to him or even acknowledge him and, while Zarc is worried, he knows that time will heal its wounds.)

* * *

“Your wings are beautiful, Clear Wing,” Zarc murmurs to the sleeping dragon, running his fingers over the card. He is not Clear Wing’s friend or partner just yet and is cautious when dealing with the mourning dragon.

**Of course they are** , Clear Wing’s voice, small and distant but still full of pride, speaks to him sleepily. The dragon doesn’t often interact, the wounds of betrayal still throbbing painfully. It doesn’t want to believe that its’ previous owner would simply hand it over to some boy with a dream bigger than his head.

“Someday I’d like to see you flying in the sky. You’d shine the brightest under the sun,” Zarc states matter-of-factly, and Clear Wing raises its head towards him.

**Of course I do! My girl loved watching me glow!** Clear Wing admonishes, lightly batting Zarc with its wing.

(Zarc’s grin, it thinks, rivals the sun, and the dragon can feel its’ resolve crumble to dust beneath that sunny smile.)

* * *

Dark Rebellion falls into his hands and something charges the air around him. He’s sparking, glowing so brightly that it is impossible for others not to recognize him. They can’t help but stare as he walks by, awe shining in their eyes.

(Zarc smiles good-naturedly as others call out to him until-until he makes eye contact with  _ her _ and his world flips upside down and every which way. There’s  _ something  _ about her that lights his core on fire, that ignites him into an untameable inferno.)

(There’s a tug on her awareness and Ray turns away from her father, her eyes meeting the famous Zarc’s and  _ oh! _ Her stomach flutters pleasantly and there’s so much  _ heat _ that she almost feels faint. Her father doesn’t notice and she turns back to him, smiling absently and nodding her head to indicate that she’s paying attention even though she can hardly  _ breathe _ let alone  _ think _ .)

* * *

Dark Rebellion is quiet by nature, its scales hardly ruffled by the bickering between the other three dragons. It watches the three interact with a thoughtful silence and shuffles to cover their partner with a wing absentmindedly. It doesn’t see his smile but it feels his love radiating from every pore and a deep hum rumbles in its chest.

The other three turn towards their human to settle the dispute but stop as they observe the small rising of his chest in slumber. The lines in his brow are creased flat and his mouth hangs open, drool dripping onto his jacket, his mind lost in a world of dreams. Dark Rebellion opens an eye and huffs, circling its body around the boy. 

Well? Are you done?  It questions its’ draconic siblings softly, ruffling Zarc’s hair with its breath. Odd Eyes grunts sheepishly and settles down beside the dragon.

**It was a dumb fight anyway** , Clear Wing huffs, joining the two. Starve Venom growls in agreement, curling in between Clear Wing and Odd Eyes.

(Dark Rebellion thinks that maybe, just maybe, it was fate that led the dragons to Zarc, and it is oddly content with that line of thought.)

* * *

Ray officially meets Zarc at a tournament meant to show off her father’s latest breakthrough in Real Solid Vision. The privilege of meeting the esteemed man behind the Real Solid Vision system is awarded to the winner, and Zarc just so happens to  _ be _ said winner. His nerves are taut with anticipation as he waits, not unnoticed by his partners.

_ What are you so nervous about brat? _ Starve Venom purrs in his ear, lazily curling a a tail around his waist. The tail’s weight is not solid but still, he can feel it, heavy on his torso. 

**Don’t you remember that** **_girl_ ** **Starve Venom?** Clear Wing responds before Zarc can open his mouth and tell the dragon off. Clear Wing stretches its massive wings leisurely, a tilt to its mouth that Zarc interprets as amusement.  **He was very enamored with her** , it reminds the other dragon. Starve Venom hums and swings its massive head towards its partner.

_ Ho? Is that so? _ If it had a human mouth, Zarc is sure that the great dragon would be smirking. 

**_Hey hey hey! Quit bullying poor Zarc!_ ** Odd-Eyes cuts in, materializing besides its fellow dragons. The red beast shields its friend from the others protectively, teeth bared. Zarc runs a hand along the scales in a soothing motion, the texture of them soothing his anxiety somewhat.

They are not so much bullying as they are teasing , Dark Rebellion quietly asserts from his other side, ruffling Zarc’s hair with its breath. Zarc fixes it without blinking, used to the massive dragon’s habit. 

“It’s ok Odd Eyes, I don’t mind,” Zarc murmurs, fingers digging into the spirit’s scales harder. He rolls his pads over them, a wordless satisfaction flooding his body. Odd Eyes eyes the other two dragons, huffing at their audacity. 

“Oh, are you Zarc?” A woman’s voice rings out, and Zarc freezes mid-motion. He turns ever so slowly toward the source, his breath leaving him in a whirl. He stares at the girl for an eternity and a half, thoughts racing and cycling endlessly. 

“A-A y-y-yes,” he answers after what amounts to an awkwardly long time. The girl smiles prettily and he feels heat creeping into his cool face. She lounges against the door frame with ease, her hands gripping her elbows. 

“I’m Ray,” she introduces, pushing herself off the wall and striding forward with a confidence that often escapes Zarc. She stands squarely in front of him, hands finding the delicate frame of her hips. She looks past him at the gaggle of silent dragons, her smile widening into something warmer. “Your partners look very happy to be with you.” 

(Zarc can’t think or hell,  _ breathe, _ as she acknowledges the invisible monsters. She can  _ see _ them,  _ hear  _ them, and he’s never been thrown out of his Earth’s orbit quite like this before.)

“I know,” he mutters, unable to catch himself in time. Ray tilts her head curiously, a flush coloring her cheeks and ears red. “Um I-I mean, I know who you a-are. You’re Akaba Leo’s daughter, right?” She nods, flustered to know that he is aware of her. “I-I saw you the other day and-and I felt….,”

“....a connection?” she finishes for him, switching her weight to her other foot. Zarc nods and feels waves of relief wash over him. 

(In the back of his mind, in the depths of his soul,  _ something _ clicks into place and he feels whole.)

(He hardly feels an ounce of disappointment when Ray reveals that her father is dealing with a problem in the system and is unable to meet him.)

* * *

(Time passes steadily, bearing witness to stolen kisses in the dark and late night meetings. It watches over the two and weeps for the tragedy that befalls them, sparked by the blood lust of a crowd gone wild.)

* * *

Zarc rushes out of the stadium in a whirlwind of emotions, disgust at the forefront of his mind. He runs into a nearby bathroom and vomits into the clean bowl, staining it with the last dredges of food he ate earlier. A comforting presence runs its claws through his hair and he leans back against it, his throat raw and his eyes stinging with tears. He sobs into the toilet as wave after wave of emotion slams into him, his fingers curling uselessly at his sides.

“I don’t want to hurt anyone,” he cries into hard scales, unable to see through the tears. Odd Eyes rumbles mournfully but doesn’t speak. Words are failing it and Odd Eyes nuzzles the side of Zarc’s head in lieu of verbal comfort.

(It can’t promise that it won’t happen again and that- _ that _ hurts most of all.)

* * *

(Eventually he stops vomiting after each violent match. Eventually he stops crying.)

(Eventually he forgets why he even cried in the first place.)

* * *

 

(Zarc’s partners grow bitter, the physical bodies that chain them to battle enhancing their anger until it is all they feel anymore.

They are angry at the humans, for corrupting their precious partner. They are angry at themselves, for  _ allowing _ it to happen.)

(Most of all, they are filled with a deep sorrow that won’t disappear. Their Zarc is no longer someone they recognize but dragons- _ dragons _ are loyal to a fault and they won’t abandon him to spiral into darkness alone.)

* * *

“I’m only meeting their expectations,” Zarc whispers to the cards as he calls them forth in the stadium, a strange smile on his face. The dragons-brothers for all intents and purposes-roar to the heavens and there is a single moment where they can pretend everything is  _ normal _ .

That moment shatters when, as of one mind, their anger peaks and they unleash it upon the screaming crowd of-of  _ monsters _ that turned their Zarc into something barely recognizable. 

(Ray stops for a moment, unaware of her father’s eyes on her face. She has to be strong in the face of such hatred, such anger but she can’t help but shudder at the waves of killing intent rolling off of them. 

In that eternity, Ray realizes one thing. She will die throwing her life away to save Zarc, and there is a calming peace settling in her heart at the thought.)

* * *

“I’m going to be strong enough to destroy the whole world,” Zarc says, and the dragons roar in agreement. They aren’t entirely sure that any of them are a single entity at this point. Only physical flesh separates them but then-

Then Zarc sets a card onto the field and there’s a blinding light. The dragons roar and even those who cannot hear their souls can understand the single, terrifying line they scream.

**_We are one!_ **

* * *

(They all feel the sting of betrayal when Ray steps up to fight them but it is  _ Zarc _ that feels it so wholly that the dragons roar their sadness to the world, if only to lessen his feelings a little bit.)

* * *

(The dragons cling to Zarc as he is torn asunder, taking with them a part of his soul and ripping into their favored Ray, pulling her pieces and guiding them together with Zarc.)

(But, they reflect later, traitorously, maybe this way Zarc will be free from his shackles.)

* * *

(Sakaki Yuuya once hears, in an echo of a memory, that cards have souls. He puzzles over it for a moment before scraping his nails against Odd Eyes’ glossy picture with a secret smile.)

(“Thank you for being my friend, Odd Eyes.”)   


(Odd Eyes weeps.)

**Author's Note:**

> i just caught up to arc v and felt THINGS and speculated and here is this,,,,THING.....be gentle pls RIP me


End file.
